A fatal collision on southbound Highway 101 early Sunday closed the freeway for hours north of Ventura and slowed traffic into the afternoon.

The crash was reported around 4:30 a.m. as a possible vehicle rollover on the freeway near Emma Wood State Beach. The southbound freeway parallels a stretch of Pacific Coast Highway there, with PCH rejoining Highway 101 south of the accident site.

One person was reportedly killed when a vehicle left the roadway, according to California Highway Patrol reports.

The victim was a 22-year-old Oxnard man, according to the Ventura County Medical Exsaminer's office. His identity will be released this week after family members have been notified, officials said.

The crash initially involved a single vehicle, with an occupant thrown from the car, according to the CHP. Multiple other vehicles then crashed afterward, reports indicate.

The victim was declared dead at the scene, according to the Ventura County Fire Department. Two other patients were taken by ambulance to Ventura County Medical Center. CHP reports indicate one had major injuries and the other had complained of pain.

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Traffic remained slow on southbound Highway 101 north of Ventura Sunday afternoon following a fatal accident earlier that closed the freeway for hours.(Photo: GRETCHEN WENNER/THE STAR)

The southbound freeway was completely shut down at the Seacliff exit near La Conchita, which is roughly six miles north of the crash site, until about 11 a.m. Motorists were directed onto PCH for a detour.

Northbound traffic was not impacted.

Southbound traffic remained backed up as of 12:30 p.m. Sunday more than a mile and a half north of the crash site. A separate accident involving a motorcyclist was reported in the same general area shortly before noon, with that crash causing major injuries, according to CHP reports. CHP officers at the scene, who were working a later incident, said traffic was likely to be slow in the area for several hours.